Introduction
Recently, beauty enthusiasts have been eagerly awaiting the release of Flower Knows’ new Butterfly Cloud Shoulder series.
Inspired by traditional Chinese clothing, this series incorporates elements like flowers and butterflies, blending elegant patterns such as ruyi motifs and cloud patterns with classic embossed craftsmanship to create a beautiful fusion of traditional and modern aesthetics.
This is the first new series inspired by Chinese culture launched in nearly four years since the highly successful “Flower God” series.
Founded in 2016, the Chinese beauty brand Flower Knows quickly gained a strong presence with its luxurious style. It not only attracted a loyal fan base in China but also expanded successfully overseas.
Flower Knows has now entered over 1,000 retail stores worldwide, with annual sales expected to surpass 400 million RMB.
So, what makes this Chinese beauty brand stand out in the fiercely competitive market, becoming a household name in China and winning the hearts of young women globally?
1. How Did Flower Knows Succeed in China?
Flower Knows started in 2016, created by Baozi & Hana, two well-known cosplayers in the community.
They had a deep understanding of the needs of cosplay makeup and were already popular figures in the community, which provided a strong fan base.
As a result, Flower Knows quickly became a hit among cosplay enthusiasts, makeup artists, and visual designers.
In its early stages, the brand stood out for its bold colors and high saturation.
Many cosplayers spontaneously promoted the products, giving Flower Knows a certain degree of recognition.
By 2019, Flower Knows had found its niche in the "girly" makeup market, focusing on product packaging, brand style, and marketing direction to deeply resonate with consumers who love "girly" aesthetics.
With time, the brand fine-tuned its production with suppliers, achieved large-scale production, and started to gain mainstream attention.
During this period, the brand's image was mainly associated with its "visual appeal," featuring elegant, dreamy styles and complete sets of products, creating a distinctive presence in the highly competitive beauty market.
Since 2021, Flower Knows has increased its investment in social media platforms like Douyin (TikTok China) and Xiaohongshu, using influencers to promote unboxing videos and color swatches, reaching a wider audience.
By 2022, Flower Knows' total sales exceeded 220 million RMB, transforming from a niche brand into a booming business.
2. The Global Expansion of Flower Knows
(1) Japan
Flower Knows’ first overseas market was Japan, where it entered nearly 1,000 beauty and drug stores through local distributors, quickly attracting attention. Japanese consumers are familiar with the anime-inspired style and easily accepted the brand, reducing market communication costs.
The brand’s packaging, which features themes such as manga, anime, and Lolita, with plenty of cute and girly elements, captured Japanese consumers' attention through its strong visual appeal. This approach matched the local preference for product aesthetics.
Flower Knows also appointed Sakura Miyawaki, a popular Japanese idol, as its Asian brand ambassador and launched the "Cherry Pie" collection. The collection quickly became a must-have item for many Japanese girls.
As of June 2024, Flower Knows' Japanese Instagram account had over 140,000 followers and 1037 posts. Tiktok account had over 900,000 followers.
(2) Southeast Asia
Before entering the Southeast Asian market, Flower Knows’ team researched the market and found that there were no local makeup brands focusing on “girly” and anime-inspired themes, providing a unique opportunity.
With nearly 700 million people, Southeast Asia has a youthful demographic, with almost half of the population under 30 years old, offering great potential for market expansion.
In recent years, the rise of e-commerce and increasing internet penetration in Southeast Asia have provided opportunities for social media marketing and online sales.
In this market, Flower Knows used a different strategy compared to Japan, leveraging e-commerce platforms like Lazada and Shopee to boost brand awareness.
As Flower Knows deepened its presence in Southeast Asia, data showed that in the first half of 2023, the brand’s GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) in this region increased by 120% year-on-year.
(3) Europe and North America
In 2022, Flower Knows entered the European and North American markets, starting with e-commerce platforms.
In less than a year and a half, the brand’s revenue in North America and Europe exceeded 10 million USD, achieving a 400% growth in revenue since its launch. The United States has now become its largest overseas market.
Unlike its focus on anime-style products in Japan, Flower Knows’ Western products emphasize "fairy tale" and "dreamy" themes, as Western consumers' love for "girly" aesthetics is often tied to fairy tales.
American consumers prefer vibrant makeup colors and pay more attention to inclusivity in makeup shades. To cater to diverse skin tones, Flower Knows expanded its color options in existing product lines.
To better serve the local market, Flower Knows partnered with Urban Outfitters, a popular American fashion chain, for a six-month exclusive retail partnership, marking its entry into the U.S. retail market.
3. Why Is Flower Knows So Popular?
(1) Unique Product Design
One look, and it’s unforgettable — that’s the impression many young female consumers have of Flower Knows.
The brand’s packaging features designs like unicorns, angels, teddy bears, and Versailles-inspired aesthetics, which initially drew attention in the domestic market.
When consumers grew tired of traditional beauty packaging, Flower Knows’ eye-catching visual designs created a strong brand identity, making its products instantly recognizable among countless others.
Makeup is a highly impulsive purchase category, and if a brand cannot capture consumers' attention quickly, it risks losing them.
Therefore, the visually striking packaging and high-quality content are key to triggering consumers’ desire to buy.
The high aesthetic appeal of the product designs makes them naturally shareable, driving word-of-mouth promotion.
(2) Social Media Strategy and Influencer Marketing
Flower Knows is active on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. After each new product launch, the brand shifts its focus to Instagram to build a fan base.
The posts mainly consist of visually appealing images and product information to strengthen consumer engagement and trust.
On platforms like Instagram and TikTok, many users are captivated by Flower Knows’ beautiful packaging and share photos and videos.
Flower Knows now has nearly 2 million followers across these platforms. Unboxing videos, showcasing the intricate embossed designs of the products, have proven to be particularly effective.
In January of this year, to penetrate the Western market, Flower Knows collaborated with American singer Lana Del Rey, who has 15.5 million followers on Instagram. She used Flower Knows products in her posts, one of which received over 3.34 million likes and 17,000 comments. This partnership significantly boosted Flower Knows' brand awareness and image in the West.
Conclusion
As a Chinese beauty enthusiast, I am thrilled to see a Chinese brand like Flower Knows gaining international recognition.
I hope that in the near future, more Chinese makeup brands will be able to achieve global success.